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Forsyth County's NHL-bait megaproject encounters turbulence Josh Green Wed, 03/27/2024 - 13:18 At a specially called meeting Tuesday evening, the $2-billion Gathering at South Forsyth megaproject may have scored the county’s official approval, but the outcome wasn’t exactly what the development team had been aiming for. 

The result is that Krause Sports and Entertainment won’t be able to take the financial package and development plans to the National Hockey League they’d hope to—at least not yet. That’s if the development team decides to still pursue the project at all.

Car dealership magnate Vernon Krause, the project’s owner and head of Krause Sports and Entertainment, said last-minute actions Tuesday by the Forsyth County Commission left him “frankly shocked and extremely disappointed” following months of negotiations with the county, a year and ½ after he bought property near Forsyth’s southern border to build the sprawling, mixed-use district anchored by an arena.

It’s the latest twist in the competition to bring NHL hockey back to metro Atlanta, with Alpharetta also now vying for a franchise to anchor redevelopment of North Point Mall, should the NHL elect to award a team.

The future location of pregame (or it is pre-match) hoopla? The Gathering at South Forsyth; designs, SCI Architects

Four of five commissioners voted in favor of Krause’s The Gathering at South Forsyth to proceed as a public-private partnership as previously planned, meaning the county could contribute up to $390 million in tax assistance to the project—but only if an NHL franchise is attached.

But according to Krause, commissioners also made 11th hour changes to a Memorandum of Understanding between the two parties that complicate matters. (We've asked for clarification on exactly what the changes are, and we'll update this post with any additional details.)

Instead of leaving Tuesday’s proceedings with a firm financial commitment from the county and approved development plans, Krause’s team says more negotiations and attorney review will be required to determine if they want to continue pursuing The Gathering or walk away.

The approved MOU does not meet Krause’s goals for approaching the NHL to “pursue and secure” a pro hockey team, he said in an announcement.  

“My team and I will review the changes to see if we can work toward finalization or end our efforts,” Krause said in a prepared statement today. “The goal continues to be to strike a deal that is beneficial to the county, its residents—of which I am one—and [the development team], and present a solid plan to the NHL for consideration as they ponder possible expansion.

“However,” he added, “the county cannot keep moving the goal line if that is to happen.”

Project backers noted that 17 residents spoke in support of The Gathering at Tuesday’s meeting for more than 30 minutes, while four others opposed.

Earlier this month, the development team released results of an independent survey they said proved a strong majority of Forsyth residents favor an investment comparable to The Battery Atlanta and the idea of NHL hockey coming to the north metro county.

“I would hate to disappoint these residents if we cannot get the commissioners to negotiate in good faith going forward,” Krause added.

The 4-1 commissioner vote does mean the agreement is binding between the county and would-be developers of the 80-acre site. Krause told Fox5 Atlanta he hopes to see an NHL team play its 2027 season at the new Forsyth County arena, noting that real estate taxes, and not direct public funding, would pay for it. 

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A main street and retail corridor in the multi-billion-dollar proposal. The Gathering at South Forsyth; designs, Nelson

How the 100-acre project would be positioned where Ronald Reagan Boulevard meets Union Hill Road along Ga. Highway 400.The Gathering at South Forsyth; designs, Nelson

Where the Gathering at South Forsyth arena and other buildings would be located next to Ga. Highway 400. The Gathering at South Forsyth; designs, Nelson

The Gathering at South Forsyth; designs, SCI Architects

The Gathering at South Forsyth; designs, SCI Architects

The Gathering at South Forsyth; designs, SCI Architects

The Gathering at South Forsyth; designs, SCI Architects

Subtitle Gathering at South Forsyth developer “shocked and extremely disappointed” by outcome at county level

Neighborhood Forsyth County

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Timelines emerge for transformative Sweet Auburn projects Josh Green Wed, 03/27/2024 - 08:18 The timeline for when two corners at a historic Sweet Auburn intersection might be transformed with new investment and street life is coming into clearer focus.

The two-phase development led by Gorman and Company, a Wisconsin-based developer with expertise in building affordable housing, aims to enliven what’s currently a dead zone of boarded-up, historically significant buildings and surface parking lots.

The corners in question are located on the southwest and southeast sides of where Auburn Avenue meets Jesse Hill Jr. Drive.

The properties made news last week when the Invest Atlanta Board of Directors approved a Housing Opportunity Bond up to $3 million to help move construction forward. Collectively, however, both phases of Sweet Auburn Grande, as the project’s now called, are expected to cost north of $74 million.

Joel Reed, Gorman’s Southeast market president, provided Urbanize Atlanta with an outlook this week—both near-term and not—for when Atlantans might start to see that section of Sweet Auburn brought back to life.

The current parking lot and building conditions at the corner of Jesse Hill Jr. Drive and Auburn Avenue, beneath the 65-foot Lewis mural. Google Maps

Breakdown of two development phases on either side of Jesse Hill Jr. Drive. Gorman & Compay; via SR, 2023

For phase one, revised Sweet Auburn Grande plans call for building 109 multifamily residences along Auburn Avenue, located at the southeast corner of the Jesse Hill Jr. Drive intersection. Roughly 11,500 square feet of commercial space at street level would also be included.

According to Reed, that phase is scheduled to start construction in late July and cost roughly $56 million, barring increases due to inflation and supply and demand.

As of now, the apartments and retail are expected to open in July 2026, following two years of building.

The residential component will include 57 units—or more than half—reserved for tenants earning 50 percent of the area median income or less, according to Invest Atlanta.

The revised vision for Sweet Auburn Grande phase one, with the early 1900s office building preserved. Gorman & Company, via Invest Atlanta

The project would also incorporate—as opposed to demolish, as earlier plans had called for—the historic but long-vacant 229 Auburn building (Atlanta Life Insurance Building). That ailing structure dates to the early 1900s and once housed pioneering Black businesses, including Georgia’s first state-chartered Black bank, during the district’s heyday.

Meanwhile, across the street, the project’s second phase calls for restoring two more historic structures—the 1920 former Butler Street YMCA-JD Winston Branch and the Walden Building—while adding an attractive public greenspace at the corner, at the base of the iconic John Lewis HERO Mural.

The Butler Street Community Development Corporation, which owns the 219 Auburn Avenue property that’s currently a parking lot, rechristened the corner “Good Trouble John Lewis Memorial Park” in 2022.

Beside the greenspace, plans have called for outdoor workstations and free Wi-Fi. Central Atlanta Progress/Invest Atlanta/SCAD

Reed said the timeline for phase two isn’t as clear, as details that include financing are still being ironed out. Development costs are expected to come in around $18 million, but restoration work on the former YMCA building would have different funding sources.  

"Since [phase two] is heavily focused on programming of the building with community facing and serving end users, the capital stack and financing are more complex,” Reed wrote via email. “We’re working on finalizing our capital stack for [phase two], and if we’re able to sort out our financial needs, we could expect a late 2025 start on that phase of the project,” though he noted that starting the project might not mean onsite construction would launch then.

Elsewhere in Atlanta, Gorman recently celebrated the completion of Residences at Westview, a 60-unit affordable housing complex near Westview Cemetery. Development officials said during that project’s ribbon-cutting last month they expect to deliver 350 new housing units across Atlanta over the next two years.

Head up to the gallery for more context and imagery pertaining to the Sweet Auburn vision.

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229 Auburn Ave. Sweet Auburn Grande Invest Atlanta Gorman & Company Gorman and Company Affordability Affordable Housing Sweet Auburn Auburn Avenue Adaptive-Reuse Adaptive-Reuse Development Adaptive-Reuse Project Atlanta Life Insurance Building Alonzo Herndon Building The Former Butler Street YMCA-JD Winston Branch

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State of the southeast corner of Auburn Avenue and Jesse Hill Jr. Drive today, with the historic office building in question at center. Google Maps

The revised vision for Sweet Auburn Grande phase one, with the early 1900s office building preserved. Gorman & Company, via Invest Atlanta

Breakdown of Auburn Avenue Grande's two-story phase one plans, and at left, phase two across the street. Invest Atlanta

Breakdown of two development phases on either side of Jesse Hill Jr. Drive. Gorman & Compay; via SR, 2023

State of the 1920 Butler Street YMCA today, once known as "Black city hall" for its importance in the community. Invest Atlanta

The current parking lot and building conditions at the corner of Jesse Hill Jr. Drive and Auburn Avenue, beneath the 65-foot Lewis mural. Google Maps

Plans for a circular greenspace to activate the parking lot, to be called the Good Trouble John Lewis Memorial Park. Central Atlanta Progress/Invest Atlanta/SCAD

Beside the greenspace, plans have called for outdoor workstations and free Wi-Fi. Central Atlanta Progress/Invest Atlanta/SCAD

Phase two calls for restoring the Walden Building, named for Austin Thomas Walden, a prominent Black Atlantan who had an office there until his death in the 1960s, per Atlanta History Center. Central Atlanta Progress/Invest Atlanta/SCAD

Subtitle Where construction is expected to start this summer on historic downtown street

Neighborhood Sweet Auburn

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Row of midcentury modern-inspired new dwellings has arrived Josh Green Tue, 03/26/2024 - 14:51 West of Midtown, a unique infill project being marketed as the “modern Atlanta dream home” with no shortage of vintage 1960s inspiration is ready for its closeup.

The trio of midcentury modern-inspired homes, collectively called 3 Palms, fronts Abner Place in the Carver Hills neighborhood of Atlanta’s “Upper Westside,” neighboring places such as Blandtown, Bolton, and Scotts Crossing.

It was built by Urban Oasis Development and designed by the Xmetrical architecture firm, which has active projects dotted across the city.

Both are Atlanta-based companies. But developer Wole Oyenuga, co-principal of Urban Oasis and Sims Real Estate Group CEO, has said the goal is to scale up the concept and deliver thousands of similar homes eventually, opening the door “to a new, elevated kind of living” in the vein of Joseph Eichler’s California philosophy.  

Photos by Will Dodgen; courtesy of Jarred Bone Real Estate Services

Photos by Will Dodgen; courtesy of Jarred Bone Real Estate Services

Each 3 Palms house (all bereft of actual palms) was designed to blur the lines between inside and out by incorporating open courtyards, patios, and a multitude of windows in limited space. Bold roof lines and ceilings up to 13 feet were also meant to evoke the easy-breezy, livable feel of Palm Springs.

Per the development team, the properties are the only net zero-ready homes on the Atlanta market priced less than $1 million.

According to listing agent Jarred Bone of Keller Knapp Realty, the middle 3 Palms home sold prior to completion. Both of the remaining options—2107 and 2123 Abner Place—came to market in recent days at $599,999.

In both cases, that buys three bedrooms and two bathrooms in 1,650 square feet, with small yards of similar sizes and driveway parking. That breaks down to about $364 per square foot.

How the trio of distinctive new homes claimed an empty corner lot in Carver Hills, west of Atlantic Station Photos by Will Dodgen; courtesy of Jarred Bone Real Estate Services

Photos by Will Dodgen; courtesy of Jarred Bone Real Estate Services

Photos by Will Dodgen; courtesy of Jarred Bone Real Estate Services

Other perks include built-in cabinetry, rainfall showerheads, and full-home dehumidification. The goal, per listings, was to achieve low utility bills with features such as high-tech insulation, a hybrid hot water heater, low-flow plumbing, and pre-wiring for solar, a house battery, and an EV charging station.

Find more context and a bevy of interior photos in the gallery above.

For a deeper dive, check out this property tour with Oyenuga, and an interview with the former landowner, the longtime pastor of New Zion Missionary Baptist Church across the street.

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The 3 Palms project's Abner Place location west of Midtown in the Carver Hills neighborhood. Google Maps

Attractions in the area include Westside Park, Proctor Creek Greenway, and the forthcoming BeltLine Northwest Trail. 3 Palms/ Urban Oasis Development/Sims Real Estate Group; via Keller Knapp Realty; designs, Xmetrical

The project's branding in listings. 3 Palms/ Urban Oasis Development/Sims Real Estate Group; via Keller Knapp Realty; designs, Xmetrical

Sample floorplan at 3 Palms. 3 Palms/ Urban Oasis Development/Sims Real Estate Group; via Keller Knapp Realty; designs, Xmetrical

How the trio of throwback-modern dwellings front Abner Place. 3 Palms/ Urban Oasis Development/Sims Real Estate Group; via Keller Knapp Realty; designs, Xmetrical

Exterior of 2123 Abner Place, priced at $599,999. Photos by Will Dodgen; courtesy of Jarred Bone Real Estate Services

Exterior of the corner unit, 2107 Abner Place. Photos by Will Dodgen; courtesy of Jarred Bone Real Estate Services

Photos by Will Dodgen; courtesy of Jarred Bone Real Estate Services

Example of an interior courtyard. Photos by Will Dodgen; courtesy of Jarred Bone Real Estate Services

How the trio of distinctive new homes claimed an empty corner lot in Carver Hills, west of Atlantic Station Photos by Will Dodgen; courtesy of Jarred Bone Real Estate Services

2107 Abner Place. Photos by Will Dodgen; courtesy of Jarred Bone Real Estate Services

Photos by Will Dodgen; courtesy of Jarred Bone Real Estate Services

Photos by Will Dodgen; courtesy of Jarred Bone Real Estate Services

Photos by Will Dodgen; courtesy of Jarred Bone Real Estate Services

Photos by Will Dodgen; courtesy of Jarred Bone Real Estate Services

Photos by Will Dodgen; courtesy of Jarred Bone Real Estate Services

Photos by Will Dodgen; courtesy of Jarred Bone Real Estate Services

Photos by Will Dodgen; courtesy of Jarred Bone Real Estate Services

Photos by Will Dodgen; courtesy of Jarred Bone Real Estate Services

Photos by Will Dodgen; courtesy of Jarred Bone Real Estate Services

Photos by Will Dodgen; courtesy of Jarred Bone Real Estate Services

Photos by Will Dodgen; courtesy of Jarred Bone Real Estate Services

Photos by Will Dodgen; courtesy of Jarred Bone Real Estate Services

Photos by Will Dodgen; courtesy of Jarred Bone Real Estate Services

Photos by Will Dodgen; courtesy of Jarred Bone Real Estate Services

Photos by Will Dodgen; courtesy of Jarred Bone Real Estate Services

Subtitle 3 Palms project called only net zero-ready homes in Atlanta priced under $1M

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Images: Georgia Tech football stadium expansion breaks ground Josh Green Tue, 03/26/2024 - 13:26 An expansion project designed to modernize Georgia Tech’s historic football stadium and potentially help recruiting is officially under construction.

At a Monday evening ceremony, Georgia Tech officials broke ground on the Thomas A. Fanning Student-Athlete Performance Center, a project designed by The S/L/A/M Collaborative that’s being constructed by DPR Construction, both Atlanta-based companies.

The building is named for Tech alumnus Dr. Thomas A. Fanning, a booster who holds three degrees from the institute and was considered a visionary in the energy industry during a 43-year career with the Southern Company.

Fanning attended Monday’s groundbreaking ceremony alongside Georgia Tech president ÁngelCabrera, director of athletics J Batt, and football head coach Brent Key.

How the Thomas A. Fanning Student-Athlete Performance Center's lobby is expected to look and function in two years. Courtesy of The S/L/A/M Collaborative/Georgia Tech

Expansion plans for the northeast corner of the stadium. Courtesy of The S/L/A/M Collaborative/Georgia Tech

The 100,000-square-foot expansion is happening at the northeast corner of the century-old stadium—now called Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field—in hopes of boosting Tech’s football program and other athletic teams. It will rise in the footprint of the former Edge/Rice Center, Tech’s concrete-built athletics headquarters, with a modified, more traditional design versus what was initially envisioned three years ago.

The performance center will house areas for athlete strength and conditioning, sports medicine, nutrition, academic support, and Tech athletics’ Total Person Program. Other facets will include expanded space specifically for Georgia Tech football, to include a football-only players’ lounge, meeting spaces, and strength-and-conditioning facilities. The upgrades are expected to boost Tech recruiting, project officials have said.

Another component will be premium seating offered to Ramblin’ Wreck football fans and people attending other big events held at the stadium.  

The Fanning Center will also be equipped with Tech’s first sports science lab, which uses pro-model motion tracking to analyze student-athletes’ performance data.

Plans for the new dining area—with Bobby Dodd field views. Courtesy of The S/L/A/M Collaborative/Georgia Tech

End-zone view from the field of the new Fanning Center. Courtesy of The S/L/A/M Collaborative/Georgia Tech

According to SLAM reps, the building process will use energy-reduction strategies. Steel from Bobby Dodd Stadium’s existing infrastructure will be woven into the expansion project, where cross-laminated timber will also be used throughout to add warmth and reduce the project’s carbon footprint.

Construction is expected to coincide with normal operations at the stadium, which originally opened as a smaller facility in 1913.

Project officials say The Fanning Center is scheduled to open on a daily basis for student-athletes in spring 2026.  

The almost Brutalist appearance of the northeast section of historic Bobby Dodd Stadium on Georgia Tech's campus today. Google Maps

Future look of Bobby Dodd Stadium's northeast corner where Techwood Drive meets Bobby Dodd Way. Courtesy of The S/L/A/M Collaborative/Georgia Tech

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177 North Avenue NW The Fanning Center Bobby Dodd Stadium Edge/Rice Center The Flats Front Office Sports McCamish Pavilion Wardlaw Center Dr. Ángel Cabrera Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia Atlanta Colleges Atlanta Architecture DPR Construction Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field Brent Key SLAM

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The almost Brutalist appearance of the northeast section of historic Bobby Dodd Stadium on Georgia Tech's campus today. Google Maps

End-zone view from the field of the new Fanning Center. Courtesy of The S/L/A/M Collaborative/Georgia Tech

How the Thomas A. Fanning Student-Athlete Performance Center's lobby is expected to look and function in two years. Courtesy of The S/L/A/M Collaborative/Georgia Tech

Plans for the new dining area—with Bobby Dodd field views. Courtesy of The S/L/A/M Collaborative/Georgia Tech

Future look of Bobby Dodd Stadium's northeast corner where Techwood Drive meets Bobby Dodd Way. Courtesy of The S/L/A/M Collaborative/Georgia Tech

Expansion plans for the northeast corner of the stadium. Courtesy of The S/L/A/M Collaborative/Georgia Tech

Subtitle 100K-square-foot Fanning Center called cutting-edge hub for student athletes, Bobby Dodd views

Neighborhood Georgia Tech

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Entertainment district anchored by soccer pitched in Roswell Josh Green Tue, 03/26/2024 - 08:20 Citing metro Atlanta’s “tremendous passion” for the sport, a national soccer league has pinpointed the northern suburbs as the potential landing spot for a large stadium and entertainment district that would house pro-level women’s and men's soccer and more.

The City of Roswell entered into an agreement Monday with the United Soccer League to explore the possibility of developing what’s being called a “historic women’s soccer stadium-anchored entertainment district.”

Should the stadium deal come to fruition, it would make Roswell home to a USL Super League professional women’s team, and also a USL Championship professional men’s team, according to league officials. No stadium site has been identified yet.

The Roswell stadium would seat at least 10,000 fans. Per an agreement unanimously approved by the Roswell City Council at their Monday meeting, the USL would serve as the stadium’s anchor tenant and would have right of first refusal as the stadium’s operator and manager. 

For context, Gas South Arena in Duluth can seat about 13,000 people, and State Farm Arena about 17,000 for sporting events downtown.

City of Roswell in the context of north metro Atlanta. Google Maps

A letter of intent approved by the council grants the city and USL an exclusive nine-month negotiating period, expiring Dec. 31 this year, with an option to extend negotiations, if that’s needed. 

Finding a site for the entertainment district and multi-use stadium is now priority number one. (Any suggestions, dear readers?)  

Should an agreement be reached, according to USL officials, the stadium would house a professional women’s team competing in the Division One-sanctioned USL Super League and a USL Championship professional men’s team. 

Along with the metro’s indefatigable zeal for soccer, USL cited Roswell’s ambitious vision for the stadium project and “tradition of excellence in soccer” as reasons the move makes sense.

Justin Papadakis, a Roswell native and USL’s deputy CEO and chief real estate officer, said in Monday’s announcement the city “has all the ingredients to become home to the preeminent USL Club, multi-purpose stadium, and entertainment district—all driven by [USL’s] world-class professional women’s team.” 

Roswell Mayor Kurt Wilson called the partnership, while still in nascent phases, “an unprecedented opportunity for our city,” adding that “[b]eing home to a new entertainment district, a multi-purpose stadium, and two professional soccer teams would be a huge economic driver and point of pride.” 

Roswell's Canton Street, a food, beverage, and shopping destination. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

In other news involving the Beautiful Game and real estate development, U.S. Soccer announced in December it’s uprooting its headquarters from Chicago to a site near Trilith, a growing southside mixed-use and filming hub, following a search that included nine sites scattered across metro Atlanta.

According to U.S. Soccer officials, the $200-million project will cover about 200 acres and create more than 400 jobs.  

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City of Roswell United Soccer League Atlanta Soccer USL USL Championship Mayor Kurt Wilson Atlanta Sports Atlanta Stadiums OTP Atlanta Suburbs North Fulton County Horseshoe Bend Roswell Soccer Stadium

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Roswell's Canton Street, a food, beverage, and shopping destination. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

City of Roswell in the context of north metro Atlanta. Google Maps

Subtitle Women’s, men's United Soccer League aims to build 10,000-seat stadium in North Fulton city

Neighborhood Roswell

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Chattahoochee gateway park scores millions for construction Josh Green Mon, 03/25/2024 - 17:18 A key starting point for what could become a 100-mile chain of parks, trails, and amenities along the Chattahoochee River has received a financial boost from state coffers to begin construction.

During its ongoing legislative session, the State of Georgia approved a $3-million grant that will allow the Trust for Public Land to begin work on Cobb County’s RiverLands Gateway Park. It's the first of 25 regional trailheads planned for the broader Chattahoochee RiverLands vision.

TPL purchased most of the 12-acre, former industrial site in question—situated where Mableton Parkway meets Discovery Boulevard in Mableton, between Interstate 285 and Six Flags Over Georgia—in March last year. The nonprofit organization has since worked with Cobb County, which owns the remaining acreage, to set the park project in motion.

Leaders have commended the site’s river frontage and quick access to interstates 285 and 20.

The $3-million grant was approved by the Georgia Outdoor Stewardship Program and the state’s Department of Natural Resources. It later passed through the Senate and House Appropriation Committees, according to TPL reps.

Future plans for RiverLands Gateway Park in Cobb County. Courtesy of Trust for Public Land

RiverLands Gateway Park is scheduled to open in 2026 amidst restored woodlands. Features will include a kayak launch, boat ramp, outdoor seating, a plaza, pavilion, bathrooms, and event lawn, according to TPL officials and project renderings.  

Another park feature will be a connection to the Mableton Parkway Trail, which links the Chattahoochee RiverLands project to the Silver Comet Trail. 

George Dusenbury, TPL’s Georgia state director, said the grant marks the latest in a series of nearly $15 million in investments that highlight “the state’s steadfast commitment to our shared vision,” per a project announcement. 

The initial RiverLands trailhead site, at left, with I-285 pictured at right. Courtesy of Trust for Public Land

TPL teamed with Cobb County in 2021 to build a 2.7-mile section of the RiverLands, called the “RiverLands Showcase,” to demonstrate the potential for equitable river access and outdoor recreation near the river. RiverLands Gateway Park will be located at the southern terminus of that trail.

TPL plans to donate the gateway park, once it’s fully developed, to Cobb County Parks and Recreation to manage and open to the public.

Eventually, the RiverLands could stretch from Buford Dam at Lake Lanier down to Chattahoochee Bend State Park, roughly 100 miles. Plans call for linking nearly 1 million nearby residents—19 different cities in seven counties, that is—with better access to kayaking, swimming, cycling, picnicking, walking, and camping opportunities.

Google Maps

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Chattahoochee River RiverLands Gateway Park Chattahoochee River Lands Chattahoochee RiverLands Trust for Public Land Atlanta Parks Smyrna Cobb County Atlanta River Interstate 285 Mableton Riverview Landing State of Georgia Georgia Outdoor Stewardship Program Georgia Department of Natural Resources

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Future plans for RiverLands Gateway Park in Cobb County. Courtesy of Trust for Public Land

The initial RiverLands trailhead site, at left, with I-285 pictured at right. Courtesy of Trust for Public Land

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Subtitle Plans call for remaking industrial site into RiverLands Gateway Park in two years

Neighborhood Mableton

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First look: Reynoldstown's largest duplex nears completion Josh Green Mon, 03/25/2024 - 14:46 For a snapshot of Reynoldstown’s residential evolution (or regression, as some traditionalists might argue), look no further than Cleveland Street right now, a block west of Moreland Avenue.

That’s where three modest, single-story houses have been replaced with a row of duplexes—including the largest in the neighborhood, per marketers—that hope to fetch a total of $7.4 million soon.

Bobbie Spiller, a Keller Knapp Realty real estate consultant, tells Urbanize Atlanta she’s been working to piece together deals involving properties between 86 and 90 Cleveland St. since 2021, as a complex situation involving probate courts played out.

Following sales of the former homes, demolition, and construction, all six modern-style duplex units (three buildings total) from intown homebuilder WilliamMark Designs are set to be completed in coming weeks, according to Spiller.

The largest products could set new Reynoldstown sales records.

The three homes, from left, constituting 86 to 90 Cleveland St. in Reynoldstown prior to demolition. Google Maps

Duplex plans for 86 Cleveland St. in Reynoldstown. Courtesy of Keller Knapp Realty

That duplex, located at 86 Cleveland St., will be the biggest duplex units developed in Reynoldstown to date, with each side counting 3,500 square feet, according to Spiller. (In terms of interior space, that’s comparable to two five-bedroom intown homes linked together by a shared wall.)

Spiller said the elevator-ready units will also count the largest yards of any duplex in Reynoldstown, with city views from fourth-story rooftop terraces.

It’s expected to finish construction around the end of May, with each unit priced at $1.35 million once listings go live, per Spiller. 

The two other duplexes, 88 and 90 Cleveland St., are on pace to finish sooner, around May 1.

Those four units clock in around 2,400 square feet each—and each has already been sold before reaching the market, closing for $1.17 million apiece in January, per Spiller.

How 88 and 90 Cleveland St. will relate to the street, with four units offering about 2,400 square feet each. Courtesy of Keller Knapp Realty

All six duplex units have four bedrooms, three and ½ bathrooms, floor-to-ceiling windows, rooftop hangouts, and custom finishes throughout.

Spiller said WilliamMark Designs have finished more duplexes than any other builder in Reynoldstown to date. Which is saying something.

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90 Cleveland Street Keller Knapp Realty Bobbie Spiller Reynoldstown Homes Reynoldstown Duplexes Atlanta Duplexes Duplexes Atlanta Construction Cleveland Street Moreland Avenue exterior design WilliamMark Designs

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The three homes, from left, constituting 86 to 90 Cleveland St. in Reynoldstown prior to demolition. Google Maps

Duplex plans for 86 Cleveland St. in Reynoldstown. Courtesy of Keller Knapp Realty

How 88 and 90 Cleveland St. will relate to the street, with four units offering about 2,400 square feet each. Courtesy of Keller Knapp Realty

Subtitle Whopping 7,000-square-foot project joins row of six new semi-detached dwellings

Neighborhood Reynoldstown

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Mayor announces plans for 4 new MARTA stations across city Josh Green Mon, 03/25/2024 - 13:10 Acknowledging that MARTA’s sagging rail ridership is due, in part, to limited access to the transit system, Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens dropped bombshell urbanist news today that four new infill stations are en route to the city.

The announcement, made during Dickens’ annual State of the City address, specified that one of the new MARTA stations will take shape near Murphy Crossing, a Southwest Atlanta location that alternative transportation supporters have long contended is ripe for better rail access.  

A station at Murphy Crossing—a vacant, 20-acre industrial site that’s set to be redeveloped as housing and commercial properties—would mark the first instance of direct connectivity between MARTA rail and the BeltLine’s 22-mile loop at any point across the city.

Dickens restated his belief that access to transit is paramount for creating “healthy, thriving neighborhoods” in this morning’s address.  

“Investments like Murphy Crossing and high-capacity transit on Campbellton [Road] will ensure that residents on the southside will have access to the best Atlanta has to offer,” the mayor stated. “But we’re not going to stop there… I’m announcing today that we are partnering with MARTA to build three additional infill stations throughout the city.”

Where the remaining three infill stations will be located—and how they will be funded—has yet to be revealed, as the AJC reports.

Five potential infill station locations pinpointed by the More MARTA transit expansion program that didn’t receive funding, as the newspaper points out, were at Murphy Crossing; near Armour Yards in Buckhead; near the Krog Street Tunnel; between Ashby and Bankhead stations; another between Inman Park/Old Fourth Ward and the King Memorial station; and in Mechanicsville near McDaniel Street.

(In a perfect world, dear readers, where do you think these three stations should go, whether on the list above or not?)

Monday’s announcement marked the second example of major news for Murphy Crossing in a week.

BeltLine officials on Thursday announced that Arizona-based Culdesac and local development firm Urban Oasis Development have been officially approved as the Murphy Crossing development team. That allows BeltLine leaders to enter into a contract with the developers and move forward with key parts of the redevelopment process, including entitlement and community engagement.

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• MARTA news, discussion (Urbanize Atlanta) 

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Subtitle Expansion to include first direct connection between Atlanta BeltLine, MARTA rail

Neighborhood Citywide

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Images: Centennial Yards unveils next phase for Atlanta's Gulch Josh Green Mon, 03/25/2024 - 08:12 Should all go according to developers’ plans, downtown will boast a vibrant new entertainment district by the time World Cup fanatics descend upon Atlanta from around the world in two years.

That’s the word today from Centennial Yards project leaders, who lifted the veil on plans for an 8-acre, mixed-use entertainment hub, with a fan plaza at the center they envision as the “center of gravity” for eight 2026 FIFA World Cup matches set to be played in Atlanta.

The Gensler-designed project would also include another Centennial Yards hotel. It would all rise from the Gulch on a new platform wedged between Centennial Olympic Park Drive and MLK Jr. Drive, adjacent to both State Farm Arena and Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

An overview of the new 8-acre Centennial Yards district, as seen from above State Farm Arena and Centennial Olympic Park Drive. Courtesy of Centennial Yards; designs, Gensler

Plaza entry and planned buildings nearest to State Farm Arena. Courtesy of Centennial Yards

Centennial Yards’ second phase is expected to total 480,000 square feet, mixing in retail, hotel, restaurant, and entertainment spaces but no residential or offices. The project’s first phase—including a hotel and apartment building, both 18 stories—is climbing out of the Gulch now.

Project leaders are in the process of filing permitting paperwork with the City of Atlanta in hopes of starting construction on phase two in June, according to Centennial Yards reps.

Beyond the central plaza, plans specifically call for a 14-story hotel with 233 keys; a four-story entertainment venue for a single tenant totaling 160,000 square feet; a two-story food and beverage retail building with 50,000 square feet; and what’s described as a three-story “immersive eatertainment concept” with 70,000 square feet.

No brands or company names were specified.

The planned hotel, at right, and other new structures in relation to State Farm Arena and MLK Jr. Drive. Courtesy of Centennial Yards; designs, Gensler

How the second Centennial Yards hotel would stand 14 stories over the main plaza. Courtesy of Centennial Yards

Collectively, phase two is being referred to as the project’s Entertainment District.

As a contrast to active rail lines below, plans also call for accenting lower-tiered buildings with green terraces, and dotting communal spaces and walkways with greenery.

Kevin Songer, Gensler Atlanta project principal and co-managing director, said in today’s announcement the design is meant to function as “a pedestrian-oriented crossroads of East and West Atlanta” that catalyzes and anchors the city’s urban core.

Developers with Centennial Yards Company, a division of Los Angeles-based CIM Group, hope to not only complete the Entertainment District in time for the World Cup—but to have two-thirds of the 50-acre project either complete or under construction by then.

Eventually, Centennial Yards is expected to create a dozen city blocks, with about 750,000 square feet of retail in the mix, all backed by a nearly $2-billion tax-incentive package, a record for Atlanta. 

Centennial Yards president Brian McGowan predicted the project “will truly become the epicenter of entertainment in Atlanta, bringing together people of all ages to enjoy concerts, sporting events, bars, restaurants, and retail stores, all in one place.”

How the southernmost entry to the "fan gathering plaza" would look and function. Courtesy of Centennial Yards

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• Downtown news, discussion (Urbanize Atlanta)

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An overview of the new 8-acre Centennial Yards district, as seen from above State Farm Arena and Centennial Olympic Park Drive. Courtesy of Centennial Yards; designs, Gensler

The planned hotel, at right, and other new structures in relation to State Farm Arena and MLK Jr. Drive. Courtesy of Centennial Yards; designs, Gensler

How the southernmost entry to the "fan gathering plaza" would look and function. Courtesy of Centennial Yards

Plaza entry and planned buildings nearest to State Farm Arena. Courtesy of Centennial Yards

How the second Centennial Yards hotel would stand 14 stories over the main plaza. Courtesy of Centennial Yards

Subtitle 8-acre district planned as “center of gravity” for 2026 World Cup

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L.O.A., Atlanta's swankiest rooftop, has gone members-only Josh Green Fri, 03/22/2024 - 16:03 After two summers of public access, Atlanta’s swankiest rooftop playland for adults is switching to a members-only model high above the growing Interlock district in West Midtown.

L.O.A. Social Club, as the 38,000-square-foot, swim-and-dine concept above Interlock’s first phase is now called, is being billed as a “private rooftop getaway” as Atlanta’s pool season approaches again.

Mandy Slater, Slater Hospitality’s cofounder and chief creative officer, tells Urbanize Atlanta the changes officially took place in January.

A membership model had originally been the plan for L.O.A. (short for Leave Of Absence) at the outset, but after COVID-19 and other issues caused construction to take nearly four years, Slater and company pivoted to opening L.O.A. to the public to see how its many components would work together.

“It’s a complex operation with a lot of moving parts,” Slater wrote via email. “So, once we felt like we had [logged] some time, we decided to revisit our original plan.”

At four-feet deep, the pool is heated by solar arrays affixed to L.O.A.'s rooftop spaces. Slater says it's designed to be open year-round—and more for socializing, obviously, than doing laps. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

So what’s access cost? The Social Club carries a one-time initiation fee of $2,500. After that, annual dues are also $2,500.

If that’s a lot to financially swallow at once (we can't all be whales), there’s an option to pay quarterly ($650, or $2600 total), or monthly ($225, or $2,700 total). No day-pass options are available for any portion of L.O.A.—apart from being brought there as a guest of a paying member.

Membership includes access to the solar-powered pool (loungers for members and up to three guests), lockers and showers, the pool lounge, coworking club, gardens, and two private restaurants. Members can also host events at L.O.A.’s private venue with no additional fee, and attend scheduled private events such as spirit tastings, entertainment, wine dinners, and fitness events.

“Ultimately, we really wanted to offer a more personalized experience for each guest—now member—and create that ‘third space’ for people to be able to work, dine, lounge, and entertain friends or clients,” said Slater, whose company also developed Ponce City Market’s tourist-destination The Roof.

The Grove section that can seat up to 400.Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Stadium seating beside the pool, with glass railings for taking in the skyline. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

L.O.A.’s design took inspiration from Mykonos’ garden lounges, Monaco’s cabanas, and even cruise-ship decks to max out square footage on the SJC Ventures development’s roof. It can accommodate up to 1,000 people at once, plus about 200 employees, and it offers rare 360-degree views from Smyrna to downtown and Buckhead. (Find our photo tour of all L.O.A. spaces just before they opened over here.)

Is that worth the price to join? We shall see.

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1115 Howell Mill Road NW The Interlock SJC Ventures S.J. Collins Enterprises Home Park Rooftop L.O.A. L.O.A. Chil & Co. Rooftop pools West Midtown Atlanta Development Atlanta Mixed-Use ASD|SKY Leave of Absence Atlanta Rooftop Bars Rooftop at Ponce City Market Mykonos Monaco Mandy Slater Slater Hospitality

Subtitle Access to restaurants, views over Interlock district now requires membership

Neighborhood Marietta Street Artery

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Sweet Auburn project scores $3M to proceed—with historic buildings Josh Green Fri, 03/22/2024 - 13:32 A two-phase, mixed-use project that aims to incorporate and preserve important historical structures in Sweet Auburn received a financial boost this week to assist with construction.

The Invest Atlanta Board of Directors has approved a Housing Opportunity Bond up to $3 million for Sweet Auburn Grande, another intown project being put together by Gorman and Company, a Wisconsin-based developer with expertise in building affordable housing.

Revised phase-one plans for Sweet Auburn Grande call for building 109 multifamily residences along Auburn Avenue—at the southeast corner of the Jesse Hill Jr. Drive intersection—with about 11,500 square feet of commercial space at street level.

The revised vision for Sweet Auburn Grande phase one, with the early 1900s office building preserved. Gorman & Company, via Invest Atlanta

Breakdown of Auburn Avenue Grande's two-story phase one plans, and at left, phase two across the street. Invest Atlanta

The residential component will include 57 units, or more than half, reserved for tenants earning 50 percent of the area median income or less, according to Invest Atlanta.

Spread across the block’s corner, the mixed-use project would also incorporate the historic but long-vacant 229 Auburn building, which dates to the early 1900s and housed pioneering Black businesses, including Georgia’s first state-chartered Black bank, during the district’s heyday, as Saporta Report has relayed. Earlier plans had called for demolishing the office building.

Meanwhile, across the street, the project’s second phase calls for restoring two more historic buildings—including the 1920 Butler Street YMCA building—while adding an attractive public greenspace at the corner, at the base of the iconic John Lewis HERO Mural. (See renderings of the Good Trouble John Lewis Memorial Park, as it's called, over here.)

State of the 1920 Butler Street YMCA today, once known as "Black city hall" for its importance in the community. Invest Atlanta

Breakdown of two development phases on either side of Jesse Hill Jr. Drive. Gorman & Compay; via SR, 2023

We’ve reached out to Gorman reps today for information on Sweet Auburn Grande construction timelines—and total cost estimates—for both project phases. We’ll update this story with any additional information that comes.

Elsewhere in Atlanta, Gorman officials celebrated the completion last month of Residences at Westview, a 60-unit affordable housing complex near Westview Cemetery. At the time, development officials said they expect to deliver 350 new housing units across Atlanta in the next two years.

For now, have a look below at the phase-one property on Auburn Avenue in its current and potential future state:

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229 Auburn Ave. Sweet Auburn Grande Invest Atlanta Gorman & Company Gorman and Company Affordability Affordable Housing Sweet Auburn Auburn Avenue Adaptive-Reuse Adaptive-Reuse Development Adaptive-Reuse Project

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State of the southeast corner of Auburn Avenue and Jesse Hill Jr. Drive today, with the historic office building in question at center. Google Maps

The revised vision for Sweet Auburn Grande phase one, with the early 1900s office building preserved. Gorman & Company, via Invest Atlanta

Breakdown of Auburn Avenue Grande's two-story phase one plans, and at left, phase two across the street. Invest Atlanta

State of the 1920 Butler Street YMCA today, once known as "Black city hall" for its importance in the community. Invest Atlanta

Breakdown of two development phases on either side of Jesse Hill Jr. Drive. Gorman & Compay; via SR, 2023

Subtitle Two-phase Auburn Avenue build calls for affordable housing, preserving two structures

Neighborhood Sweet Auburn

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Images: How Union City's first new rentals in 15 years turned out Josh Green Fri, 03/22/2024 - 08:45 Situated off Interstates 285 and 85, just southwest of Atlanta, 27,000-resident Union City describes itself as being one of South Fulton County’s most thriving cities right now. But while its industrial development has taken off, Union City’s dearth of new rentals has made it the anti-Midtown in another regard.

But that’s starting to change.

According to Dave Lemco, director of development with Austin-based RPM Living, which bills itself as the nation’s sixth largest multifamily management company, not a single new-construction apartment community had taken shape in Union City since 2008.

That changed last year, when RPM completed a 15-building, 156-unit mix of apartments and rental townhomes called Kinwood. It’s located at 5740 Buffington Road, about seven miles southwest of Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport.

“The site was vacant land prior to our development,” Kinwood tells Urbanize Atlanta. “I’m really proud of how it turned out.”

Facades and landscaping along a Kinwood lane. Courtesy of RPM Living/Kinwood

Kinwood includes a resort-inspired saline pool with cabanas. Other amenities: coffee bar, resident clubhouse, and yes a pet agility park.

Current rent options start at $1,452 for one-bedroom, one-bathroom apartments in 750 square feet. The largest apartments start at $1,932, which gets three bedrooms and two bathrooms in 1,179 square feet.

Meanwhile, the townhome plans—two bedrooms and two and ½ bathrooms across 1,152 square feet and two stories—start at $2,438.

The complex is currently dangling a month of free rent as an incentive.

The club room. Courtesy of RPM Living/Kinwood

Courtesy of RPM Living/Kinwood

These days, Kinwood isn’t alone in Union City, as new rental ventures go.

A 295-unit project by South Carolina-based Woodfield Development called Union Green is under construction, and nonprofit organization Christian City is pulling together plans for a 15-acre village that would include residential.

In the gallery above, have a closer look at the finished Kinwood property today.

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Kinwood's 5740 Buffington Road location in relation to the airport and other cities southwest of Atlanta. Google Maps

Site plan for the 15-building mix of apartments and townhomes. Courtesy of RPM Living/Kinwood

Courtesy of RPM Living/Kinwood

Facades and landscaping along a Kinwood lane. Courtesy of RPM Living/Kinwood

The club room. Courtesy of RPM Living/Kinwood

Communal fitness center. Courtesy of RPM Living/Kinwood

Courtesy of RPM Living/Kinwood

Courtesy of RPM Living/Kinwood

Courtesy of RPM Living/Kinwood

Courtesy of RPM Living/Kinwood

Courtesy of RPM Living/Kinwood

Courtesy of RPM Living/Kinwood

Courtesy of RPM Living/Kinwood

Rendering of the saline pool. Courtesy of RPM Living/Kinwood

Subtitle 15-building Kinwood project claimed vacant acreage near Atlanta airport

Neighborhood South Fulton

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